This week’s notebook highlights swimmers from CR South, CB South and Upper Dublin.
National Conference
It’s team first for Rue - David Rue is a true team player.
The senior captain at Council Rock South knows what his role on his team is and he does it to the best of his ability.
“I’m a depth kid,” he said. “You have teams that have those top kids, those Lane 4 and Lane 3 kids, but they don’t have much depth beyond that and that’s what loses them meets.
“I’m a kid who can swim in Lane 5 or Lane 2 and get a third or fourth place and those points I get for that could be the difference in a meet.”
He started swimming on a summer team at the Newtown Swim Club.
“I was about nine or 10 and I grew early so I was kind of a bigger kid,” he said. “A friend said ‘You should swim’ so I figured I’d give it shot. It was only a summer team so it wasn’t a big commitment.
“I started swimming and realized I was pretty good at it. I’d done soccer and basketball and I wasn’t as good as those so I started swimming for Council Rock Aquatic Club and really started to pick it up and that’s what turned me into the swimmer I am.”
He is optimistic about CR South’s season.
“We have 11 seniors so almost half our team is seniors,” said Rue, who will study civil engineering at Penn State in the fall. “I told them at the beginning of the year that this could be a good year for us. We lost to William Tennent and Neshaminy last year but I think we definitely have a shot at those teams this year.”
In addition to swimming, he is a member of the National Honor Society and the Political Science Club, and has done some hiking with the Hiking Club at CR South.
Continental Conference
Troy excels for Titans - This is the final year of high school swimming for Ryan Troy.
And the Central Bucks South senior plans to make it count.
“It really dawns on you once you’re a senior that this is it so you really want to push it each meet,” Troy said.
He likes the way the Titans look this year.
“Our team has improved so much from last year, although we did lose some very good seniors,” he said. “Overall as a team we’re better. Our freestyle is much faster than last year.”
A good work ethic is a key to CB South’s season.
“We have a good group of guys who are very dedicated to the sport,” he said. “We lift in the mornings together, and we work hard together. As a result, we’re seeing huge progress.”
Troy competed at last year’s District One Class AAA meet in four events. He finished 30th in the 100-yard butterfly and 35th in the 200 individual medley and led off both the 200 freestyle relay (18th place) and 400 freestyle relay (24th place).
“I’d like to make it to states in the butterfly,” he said. “I’ve been bringing my time down with each meet. My best time is a 55 now. I worked really hard over the summer, and hopefully I’ll see the results at the end of the season.”
He has not made a college choice yet, but plans to major in chemical engineering. The decision to swim collegiately is contingent upon the school he attends.
“If I go to a Division III college then I would really love to swim but if not I’ll probably just swim club because I would never want to give it up,” he said. “I’m going to be focusing more on academics in college.
“I really love my academics. I’m a big science and math guy.”
Out of the pool, Troy plays the violin in the school’s orchestra.
American Conference
Houser looking to finish strong - Emily Houser is a realist.
The senior captain for Upper Dublin realizes that the Cardinals are a long shot to repeat as District One Class AAA team champions.
“We’re in a recovery year,” she said. “We lost so many good swimmers from last year’s team. I don’t know if we can win the district again, but I can see us in the top three, which is still very good. That’s a reasonable goal for us because we still have a lot of good girls on the team.”
Winning the district team title last year was a memorable moment for Houser.
“Being on that team and winning the district was a real high point for me,” she said.
Houser was a PIAA Class AAA qualifier last year, earning a sixth place medal as part of the 400-yard freestyle relay and making the consolation heat as a member of the 200 freestyle relay, which finished 10th.
As an individual she competed in the 100 backstroke, ending up 29th.
“This year I’d like to see our relays make it back to states and I’d like to make it in two individual events,” she said.
What her second event will be is still up the air.
“I’m considering the 50 freestyle and the 100 butterfly,” she said. “They’re both on the same day so either one will match up nicely with the backstroke.”
Older sister Ellie is now a sophomore on the Gettysburg swim team.
“We talk a lot,” the younger Houser said. “She loves college swimming.”
She plans to follow her sister’s lead and swim in college, either at Ursinus or Dickinson, and has her eye on math as a major.
She is a member of the National Honor Society.
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